Smart 5mb, or UPC 5 mb - which is better?

King Ian

I've been deliberating about my broadband for months but now it transpires that UPC is available in my area after all. I was thinking of a straight swap from 5mb Smart to 5mb UPC (I would be saving money by doing so)

What's the UPC service like in comparison? Smart have been 100% excellent in the years I've been with them

paulm17781

I have UPC 30Mbit and it is excellent. I would switch just to save money. You can cancel your phoneline / get a UPC line / Blueface (what I use) and save quite a bit.

King Ian

paulm17781 wrote: »

I have UPC 30Mbit and it is excellent. I would switch just to save money. You can cancel your phoneline / get a UPC line / Blueface (what I use) and save quite a bit.

Thanks for the advice. I actually have SMART going back a number of years so I seem to get it at a much better rate (no line rental for example).

Still I can switch to UPC and save some decent money

MunsterCycling

King Ian wrote: »

Thanks for the advice. I actually have SMART going back a number of years so I seem to get it at a much better rate (no line rental for example).

Still I can switch to UPC and save some decent money

The above is pie in the sky, look at the amount you pay for broadband and you'll find its pretty much the same. If you can get UPC then go for it as you can truly get rid of copper line then.

MagicBusDriver1

Smart is much better especially if you use torrents. Ntl will shape your traffic meaning your connection is fast in theory only.

Ranicand

MagicBusDriver1 wrote: »

Smart is much better especially if you use torrents. Ntl will shape your traffic meaning your connection is fast in theory only.

This no longer happens.

Hank Scorpio

If it was me, I`d stick with smart for sheer reliability

Karmafaerie

MagicBusDriver1 wrote: »

Smart is much better especially if you use torrents. Ntl will shape your traffic meaning your connection is fast in theory only.

Never happened to me.

Dpwnloading at 2.1 Mbps only last night through utorrent over a wireless connection no less.
(I'm still on the 20Mb as I can't be bothered switching.)

acalmenvoy

Karmafaerie wrote: »

(I'm still on the 20Mb as I can't be bothered switching.)

You should drop back to the 15 Mb, is what I did, saved a tenner a month, didnt realy notice a difference.:cool:

Karmafaerie

acalmenvoy wrote: »

You should drop back to the 15 Mb, is what I did, saved a tenner a month, didnt realy notice a difference.:cool:

I was thinking about it, but I am interested in the 30, just wish they'd get around to rolling it out.
Meant to be April/May!

I didn't want to pay the downgrade fee, just to go back up a month later, but it took longer for this upgrade than I thought!

ada4347

Hey guys im getting upc 5mb installed on tuesday, the 3/8/10. I"m forward to it because i have really **** internet now lawl excuse me...
its vodafone modem loool..
anyways i was wondering what kinda wiring they do into the house it cant be messy lol i told my parents it wudnt be..
so id like u guys to tell me an is it good???
wel i know its good i guess im in the carlow area
Anyone please i need to know before he installs it any help appreciated

Solair

UPC's service pretty much depends on whether your area has been re-wired for fibre-to-kerb or not.

Smart's unbundled service seems to provide me with very rock solid speeds and pings on DSL. Definitely getting what I am paying for.

Their phone service is OK, but it has absolutely no features whatsoever. i.e. call waiting doesn't work properly, there's no option of voicemail ... It's not a deal breaker, but it's certainly disappointing not to have those things.

You basically just get Caller ID, call diversion and a dial tone and that's about it.

ada4347

I have the little port hole in my living room people on my street have it not many thou

Sir Oxman

At this moment in time, I would swap back my UPC 15 + phone for eircom 7mb no problem.
UPC for me so far, is a fcuking nightmare - less than useful support, fantastic service from about 6pm but during the day forget it. 20-30 times droputs. Obviously, it must be external but no, UPC determine it must be my 'habits' (nothing unusual btw) Promised phone cal;ls, no luck - maybe they are trying to reach me on my UPC number, no such luck as every call drops. Their own guidelines on power levels are at cross with my actual stats, downstream too high, upstream too low but apparently they have to 'escalate'
Many calls, online 'tweets', emails - nothing. Their support is second to last. And thats being kind.

Eircom, despite being cnuts sorted every problem I had ever, swiftly.

If you are lucky, you will never ever ever have to contact UPC for support.
They are USELESS.